By: Yankuba Jallow
Ex-Corporal Alagie Kebbeh, has told the TRRC that Captain Sanna Sabally saved him when Captain Edward Singhatey attempted to kill him.
Kebbeh mentioned this while appearing before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) as the 45th witness on Tuesday 9th April 2019.
“I was sitting at the corner of the guard room when Edward (Singhatey) shot me and the bullet passed through my left thigh and landed into my right thigh and I fell down. He (Edward) rushed to finish me but Sanna Sabally shouted at him “stop!” the witness told the Commission.
He said he was admitted at the RVTH in Banjul from November 1994 to February 1995.
“The bullet is still in my right thigh,” Kebbeh asserted.
He said while at the RVTH, Lieutenant Peter Singhatey came there and told him: “this is small for you, you could have been killed”. He added that after he was discharged from the hospital, he was called to the Yundum Barracks where he was informed that he would be charged for participating in the November 11 attempted coup. He said thereafter, despite his condition he was taken to Mile II and detained without access to medical service.
“It was a ‘bunch’ of allegations because I did not know about the November 11 coup plot,” the witness said.
He testified that while at Mile II, he was put into chains despite his condition but Ebrima Chongan and other prisoners revolted that the chains should be removed from his leg. He said this was the time the chains on his legs were removed by the prison authorities. He testified that he was detained for 4 years at Mile II.
He said while under detention, his salary was being paid to his account. He produced a certificate that indicated that he resigned voluntarily which he denied authoring.
About the Lieutenant-Colonel Baboucar Sanyang’s allegation about his involvement in the November 11 coup plot, the witness said Sanyang gave a misleading testimony before the Commission.
“I went to Baboucar Sanyang immediately I closed from work but I never saw him at that time (night). So, if Baboucar Sanyang said I went to fall in (assemble) the men, that is not true,” Kebbeh said.
About the November 11 Attempted Coup
He said on the night of the 11th November coup, Edward Singhatey seized his weapon from him at the Yundum Barracks and threatened to shoot him. He said he proceeded to his resident in Bahamas where he evacuated his family to Banjulinding. He said while at Banjulinding, he was arrested by Lamin Fatty and Batch Samba Jallow.
“They put me inside the boot of the vehicle for almost 5 hours. When we arrived at our destination, JCB Mendy gave me a big slap on my face and I nearly fall down,” Kebbeh said.
